A senior Conservative MP has dramatically resigned from the party after being
confronted by The Telegraph over the following footage, which shows
him offering his services to lobbyists in exchange for cash.

10:00PM BST 31 May 2013

An undercover investigation conducted by The Telegraph and the BBC’s Panorama programme found that Patrick Mercer MP, a former shadow minister, tabled five questions to Government ministers and put down a parliamentary motion after being paid £4,000 as part of a contract he believed would earn him £24,000 a year.

This secret recording shows Mr Mercer discussing payment in exchange for his political influence, with an undercover reporter purporting to be a parliamentary campaigner for businesses with interests in Fiji.

“I do not charge a great deal of money for these things. I would normally come out at £500 per half day, so £1000 a day,” he tells the undercover reporter.

Patrick Mercer MP said he agreed to be a consultant for work he said was outside parliament. But he submitted five parliamentary questions which were all answered, as well as an early day motion, all in relation to Fiji.